Video: In SASC Hearing, Kaine Presses DoD Nominee On Ties To Group Potentially Linked To Khashoggi Murder

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine questioned Louis Bremer, the President’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, regarding reporting that the Tier 1 Group—where he has served on the Board of Directors for a number of years—may have trained Saudi nationals who were later implicated in the assassination of Washington Post journalist and Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi. You can watch video of Kaine’s line of questioning here: https://timkaine.box.com/s/xsaubak7vkdk0sqf67mi75q56xp8fqcv

 Despite the fact that the Washington Post and other American and international press outlets reported on this potential link, Mr. Bremer claimed that he was not aware and was unsure whether Tier 1 has ever conducted any investigation of this claim. Senator Kaine indicated that he would ask follow up questions for the record to discover more about Tier 1’s role in such training, any investigation conducted by or for the company, and any actions taken by the company in response to any such investigation.  

 Senator Kaine released the following statement after the hearing:

“When the President’s nominee to be the chief civilian Pentagon leader over U.S. special forces operations is a director of a company that may have trained those who assassinated journalist Jamal Khashoggi, it is critical that the Senate understand all the facts about the claim and whether Mr. Bremer or his colleagues took any steps in response to such a shocking allegation.”

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